WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Relatives of missing teen think boyfriend might be hiding something

Relatives of missing teen think boyfriend might be hiding something

(Allendale) February 10, 2007 - There's been no sign of 17-year-old Erica Bradley, who's been missing for three months. However, her grandmother says Erica's boyfriend knows more than he's letting on.
 
According to the Allendale Sheriff Department, 18-year-old Derek Maynor, Erica's boyfriend and the father of her nine-month-old son, remains a suspect. They say they don't have enough evidence to charge him.

Now, Erica's grandmother makes a plea for justice.

"Derek, we loved Erica and we loved the baby. Whatever you did to Erica, would you please let law enforcement know," pleads Annie Wright, Erica's grandmother.

Wright says Erica was with Derek the night she went missing. She says they were fighting because Erica thought he was seeing another woman in Appleton.
    
The two were supposedly on their way there so Derek could prove her wrong. But according to Derek, while on the way, Erica jumped out of the car into the woods and disappeared.
    
Wright believes a different story.

"I think on the way to Appleton another fight break out. To my feeling he would have taken her somewhere in those woods and really went for it," Wright told News 10.

Erica's mother thinks it went even further than that, saying she thinks he killed her.

News 10 tried contacting Derek to get his side of the story, but he didn't return the call. Now, as the search continues, all Erica's family can do is wait.

"My belief and hope is that she is still somewhere alive," says Wright.

Erica Bradley was last seen at the Hardee's in downtown Allendale where she works. Maynor remains a suspect in the case, but the Allendale County Sheriff's Department says they don't have enough evidence to arrest him. 

Erica's family is offering a $2,500 reward to anyone who knows anything about her disappearance. Investigators may be releasing the results of some new evidence they're testing as early as next week.

You can count on WIS News to continue to follow this story.

Reported by Trey Paul

Posted 5:24pm by Logan Smith